Review: Move Over Mrs Markham, Church Hill Theatre

Published on Thursday 26 May 2011 13:32

Move Over Mrs Markham *** Church Hill Theatre

There's a fine how-de-do up at the Church Hill Theatre this week as Edinburgh People's Theatre extract all the available smut and innuendo from this classic Cooney and Chapman farce.

The comic capers - and there is plenty of capering, or attempted capering - take place in the London flat of the dull, straight-laced Markhams.

It being the early seventies, the flat is being decorated by the professionally camp but hormonally heterosexual designer Alistair.

The oval bed of the recently finished bedroom is ideal for an illicit liaison and, unbeknown to each other, both Philip and Joanna Markham have promised to lend it for just such a purpose. He, to his publishing partner Henry Lodge for yet another pick-up. She to her friend - and Henry's wife - Linda, for her first attempt.

Meanwhile, Alistair has designs on the unfeasibly buxom au-pair, Sylvie. Knowing that the Markhams will be out, the couple have every intention of requiting their love. On the very same oval bed.

There's no pussyfooting around for EPT, as director Iain Fraser sets them off at a cracking pace. Mandy Black is in great form as repressed but ripe Mrs M, with Anne Mackenzie's Linda Lodge raring to make up for lost time with her first affair.

The men are less even. Graham Bell is the pick of the company as Henry Lodge, every inch the serial philanderer and bored publisher of children's books. Peter Gray camps it up moderately well as Alistair, but Ludovico Rizza's distractingly twitchy performance just doesn't get the measure of Markham.

For all that pace, the first act drags as it builds for the second act fireworks. The foundations are solid, however, and the wait is worth it.

Yes, the sexual politics are decidedly dodgy and the innuendo is crude - but yes, the mix-ups are hilarious and the supporting cast of Nicky McLeod, Kirsty Boyle, Lyzzie Dell and Gordon Braidwood are incendiary.

A shade more adventure from Carol Caldwell's costume design would not have gone amiss and the company could revel more in the vulgarity of the situations. But all told, this is a cracking good night out.

Run ends Saturday